Star pet painter paints Pirelli | Arts & Culture

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ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- "I've done everything from sales to marketing, accounting," said Emily Griffith. But one day nine years ago, long after most people have chosen their life's path, Griffith found a new one.

"I was early in my 40's, and I had no idea I knew how to paint," she said.

Turns out Griffith was a natural, and even though she calls a first painting of her dog primitive, it's still better than most people could ever do.

"The more you paint, the more your eye gets trained," she said humbly.

Almost 1,000 paintings later, Griffith is a renowned painter -- of pets.

"That's what I'm known for is capturing the dog's personality," she said.

Especially when that dog is the dawg -- Ugga. Griffith has painted Uggas 7, 8 and 9.

She also painted actress Tori Spelling's dog, who died.

And she's painted hundreds of not so famous pets, no less adored by their owners.

Griffth said, "I do a lot of animals that have passed and it's very healing for people when they get my paintings. It makes it very worthwhile."

There is some humor to Griffith finding her life's purpose - she's an animal lover, but, "I'm allergic to them," she said. "This allows me to love them from a distance."

Griffith has painted several of the four-legged life changers from Canine Assistants. She learned of 11Alive's partnership with Canine Assistance and Pirelli, the footless dog tearing up the school visit circuit with meteorologist Chesley McNeil.